MOT Mission and Philosophy

Institution Mission

The mission of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is to improve the health of people by providing high quality educational opportunities to students and health care professionals, advancing knowledge through scholarship and research, and providing patient care and service.

Program Mission

The mission of the TTUHSC Master of Occupational Therapy Program is to provide students with a strong foundation in clinical reasoning, knowledge, and skills to become competent occupational therapists who improve the health of individuals and communities. Academic and professional citizenship of students is cultivated through mentorship in scholarly activities.

G Grounded in Bloom's Taxonomy

O Occupation-based approached

T Teamwork in scholarship and practice

E Education of future professionals

C Clinical Reasoning/Case Mapping

H Hands on learning

Philosophy Statement

Beliefs about Humans

Human beings possess a unique array of interests, values, skills, abilities, and experiences which influence the way one perceives, chooses, and engages in various, meaningful activities (also called occupations). Occupations are the ordinary and familiar things that people do everyday. The person’s selection of and engagement in these meaningful activities contributes to one’s identity and sense of purpose thereby influencing how one spends time and makes decisions.

Beliefs about the Nature of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is the art and science of helping people do the day to day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well-being. Within occupational therapy, engagement in valued occupations is used as a means of treatment to promote health and well being. Valued occupations encompass the following areas: self-care, learning, work, play, leisure, social participation, and sleep/rest.

Occupational therapists work collaboratively with individuals, families, caregivers, and other groups whose life patterns and ability to engage in valued occupations have been altered as a result of various circumstances (i.e. cognitive or developmental problems, injury or illness, social or emotional deficits, or the aging process). The occupational therapist applies their clinical reasoning as they plan, direct, perform and reflect on client care. The focus of occupational therapy is to facilitate the individual's ability to participate in meaningful, purposeful activities (occupations) at home, school, workplace, community, and various other settings.

Beliefs About the Nature of Learning

Human beings learn through, and are shaped by, experiences throughout their lives. Opportunities for learning occur in many ways, such as acquiring knowledge, skill development, or personal growth. Through these varied experiences, changes in a person's knowledge, abilities, behavior, and attitudes occur. Within the occupational therapy program, we believe that the optimal way for students to develop clinical reasoning is through processes of knowledge/skill development, hands on learning, and reflective thinking. Students develop an understanding of a person(s) from an occupational perspective as they actively engage in opportunities to integrate and synthesize new learning with foundational concepts. As fundamental concepts are introduced and reintroduced in increasing complexity, students build skills that will guide clinical decision making.

Bloom's levels of learning serve as a one component of the curriculum's framework that guides the student learning process. The levels are as follows: knowledge/ comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (Bloom, 1984). The second component consists of the following six threads: Fundamental Concepts, Theoretical Foundations, Clinical Reasoning, Research Methods, Occupational Therapy Processes, and Professional Practice. The curriculum design fosters the development and application of student's knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes needed for occupational therapy practice as concepts within the threads are introduced and reintroduced in increasing complexity (e.g., levels of analysis and synthesis/evaluation). The MOT program fosters the development and application of student's clinical reasoning over the course of the curriculum through involvement in hands on learning, research methods, and problem solving for professional practice.

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. School of Allied Health Sciences | 3601 4th Street, MS 6294 | Lubbock, TX 79430 T: 806.743.3220 | F: 806.743.2994allied.health@ttuhsc.edu